Abbott

Pros: I like the hybrid schedule we have for my Clinical Research Associate role. Coming into the Lake Forest office a few days a week is fine. The benefits package is solid for a big medical device company, that's a definite plus.
Cons: True work flexibility is pretty limited though. Getting more than two remote days is tough, even for tasks that don't need to be onsite. It feels like they're a bit behind other healthcare industry players when it comes to WFH options.
Advice to Management: Management needs to really look at what 'flexibility' means in today's world. Allowing more true remote work options for roles that can support it would significantly boost morale and retention, especially for us in clinical research. Don't just make us come in for the sake of it.

Pros: I've had some decent work from home days, especially during COVID. For some R&D roles, you can arrange hybrid work, which is a big plus. It's nice to have that option for desk work.
Cons: But it's not consistent across all divisions in the Chicago office. Some lab-based teams in medical devices have really strict onsite policies. Can't easily pick your hours or days unless your manager is super chill.
Advice to Management: Standardize hybrid policies where possible. Especially for scientific roles that don't need constant lab presence. It would boost morale a lot.

Pros: The pay and benefits are pretty solid for the medical device industry. There are some decent amenities on the Lake County, IL campus too. For certain administrative roles, I've heard there are even some hybrid options.
Cons: True work flexibility is really tough, especially as a Research Scientist. My role demands almost constant onsite lab work, so WFH days are rare. It's a large corporate structure, and they aren't very flexible with onsite requirements unless your job explicitly allows it.
Advice to Management: Consider offering more flexible schedules or even dedicated WFH days for Research Scientists when not actively in the lab. It would really help with morale and work-life balance.

Pros: The job security at a large company like Abbott is pretty decent. My team was really supportive, and we collaborated well on clinical trials. Also, the benefits package for the healthcare industry is solid, especially the insurance.
Cons: Work flexibility is tough. As a Clinical Research Associate, I had almost no WFH options, it's mostly onsite in the Chicago office. The corporate policy can be pretty rigid, making it hard to balance personal stuff with work. Not ideal if you're looking for a hybrid setup.
Advice to Management: Consider offering more hybrid or remote options for roles that can effectively perform their duties offsite. Trust your employees more.

Pros: For a big corporate company in the medical device industry, the flexibility isn't bad. I often work a hybrid model, coming into the Lake Bluff, IL office 2-3 times a week. My manager is usually okay with adjusting my hours if I need to, which helps as a Research Scientist.
Cons: It really depends on your manager, though. Some teams, especially those in laboratory roles, have almost no work-from-home options. The official policy is there, but actual implementation varies wildly by department, making it tough for consistent work-life balance.
Advice to Management: Try to standardize the work flexibility policies more across departments. It feels like a lottery depending on your direct manager, which isn't fair.

Pros: The hybrid model for my Research Scientist role in the Lake Bluff office was decent. I could often WFH 2-3 days a week, which was a big help with my commute. It gave me good work flexibility compared to my last job in diagnostics.
Cons: It really depends on your manager; some teams are much stricter about onsite days, even within the same department. Collaboration for some medical device projects can be tough when half the team is remote. Sometimes I felt pressure to come in even on WFH days for small meetings.
Advice to Management: Standardize the hybrid work policy across all divisions. It would help a lot with morale and reduce confusion about WFH days for scientists and other roles. Some teams are really struggling with inconsistent expectations from leadership.